Serendipity
by Trixie Black
Summary: To find something good without actually looking for it. HP/DM fem!HP No Magic Draco Malfoy is at a crossroad with no idea which path to take when an unexpected character changes his life forever... Enjoy and please review ! :D T Rating just to be sure, never know what may happen in the future ;)
1. Chapter 1

Chapter 1

Disclaimer: I don't own anything you recognize from J. . The story line and some characters are mine though. Enjoy!

He had never cared about anyone but himself. He had been born into an aristocratic family, with the proverbial silver spoon in his mouth. His birth had only marked the continuation of his family line and nothing more. His parents, mostly absent, had entrusted his care and education to a squadron of highly paid nannies to cater to his every whim. Most of his life had been spent exceeding everyone around him. Better toys, better clothes, better friends...he had enjoyed rubbing it into the faces of those less fortunate. While possessing a sharp mind, he had breezed through school based on his family name out of pure laziness, bullied everyone he could and scorned those he could not. His so called friends, lifelong acquaintances arranged by his parents since infancy, were as arrogant and as obnoxious as he had been. The only thing he had ever loved was riding. He had been taking lessons for as long as he could remember because his father insisted, in one of the rare times he was home, that it is a sport every young heir to a good family should learn.

Luckily he took to it like a duck to water and when he was eleven, his father bought him his very first horse, Storm. With time he outgrew Storm in both skill and size and his father gifted him a priceless pure blooded stallion with a name as dark as the midnight color of his shiny coat, Nightmare. He loved Nightmare who played the role of friend and confident for the young man who would spend hours on end riding across the family estate. And then tragedy struck. Six months before his 21st birthday he went out riding and was caught in a horrible storm. Due to the pouring water and darkening sky he could not see the way and Nightmare's hooves slipped on the slimy mud into a ditch. He could not remember much until he woke up in a hospital wing and was told that Nightmare had to be put down due to his injuries. It was the very first time he could remember crying. He had barely recovered from the traumatic experience of losing his first and only friend and had never ridden another horse since.

Now 23 he was about to board a train which would take him to his family's estate in the south of France where he would spend the summer. In fall he would go to Hogwarts, an elite university where he would start his Master's degree studies. That was one experience he was dreading because it would bring him one step closer to taking over the family business, a step which he was reluctant to take. But his father was starting to pressure him into making a decision and he had only barely managed to convince him to get some more time to think. Entering the train he made his way towards the back where he knew he would find an empty compartment. Motioning to his driver to pick one and put the bags away, he took a seat by the window and halfheartedly waved goodbye to him.

Leaning his forehead against the cool glass he put in the headphones to his brand new mp3 player and let himself be lulled to sleep by the rocking motion of the train being set in motion. He would get over these three months like he always did...because he had to...because he was Draco Malfoy, scion to the Malfoy family and heir to the greatest fortune in the United Kingdom. As he fell asleep he had no idea how life-changing the next three months would be...


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2 – Beginning of summer and a meeting

Disclaimer: Anything you recognize from J. belongs solely to her, no copyright infringement intended. Anything you do not recognize is mine.

_Previously : ...__He would get over these three months like he always did...because he had to...because he was Draco Malfoy, scion of the Malfoy family and heir to the greatest fortune in the United Kingdom. As he fell asleep he had no id__ea how life-changing the next three months would be..._

After a tiring train ride with little to no sleep, Draco finally exited the train and spotting his driver on the platform, made his way towards him.

"Bonjour monsieur Malfoy" the old driver greeted kindly. "Common étés vous?"

"Bonjour Pierre, Je suis bien merci, et tu?" the master answered remembering the old man fondly from his time growing up. Grabbing his bags in one hand and batting the driver's attempts to carry them, he made his way towards the small parking lot.

"Good as well, Master Malfoy. It has been a long time since you have been with us, Josephine will be delighted to see you." Draco smiled slightly remembering how the old housekeeper used to dote on him when he was a child. "Yes it is good to be back, I needed a summer away from the chaos of London and the pressure in Wiltshire" The driver nodded understandingly as he put the bags in the trunk of the car and getting in turned on the engine and pulled the vehicle out of the parking lot.

A short ride later, they finally arrived at the cottage. _Well_, Draco mused, _cottage by Malfoy standards_ because it was a beautiful construction. Quite large, it spread out at ground level, huge windows allowing the Provence sun to light the rooms inside, and columns supporting the roof of the veranda. It was cream colored with white painted French windows and doors, spotless glass shining in the sunlight. Perfectly manicured lawn surrounded the front of the building, interrupted only by the driveway. Deceptively simple in the front, but Draco knew perfectly well the hidden treasures behind the villa such as the conservatory, the swimming pool or the stables. He spent most of his vacations here exploring all the nooks and crannies of the estate. Now though...now he would spend the next 3 months relaxing, enjoying the weather and hoping to come to a conclusion by the end of the summer, because once he started Hogwarts there would be no going back.

After a heartwarming welcome from Josephine, he escaped to the master bedroom, which had always been his since his parents had never visited during the summers. It was a grand room, done in shades of Bordeaux with wrought iron and dark wood furniture. The outer wall was dominated by a pair of floor to ceiling French windows, framed by thin burnt orange hangings which fluttered in the breeze. A huge black wrought iron bed dominated the room with silk Bordeaux sheets and a mosquito net hanging from the ceiling. Dark wood chests of drawers and a desk made up the rest of the furniture in the bedroom. Two doors were on the inner most wall of the room, one leading to a dressing room filled with armoires and the other to the master bathroom. The bathroom was a piece of art in itself. It was done completely in navy blue with a large claw footed bath tub taking up half of the room. A shower and a toilet shared one wall while the double sink and cabinets took the other. But the best part of the bathroom was the big oval ceiling window right above the bathtub. It was a perfect place to relax in the evenings when there was a storm outside as the pitter patter of water on the window relaxed one like nothing else.

After reacquainting himself with the room, Draco decided to unpack his things now as it was already past lunch and food would not be on the table till dinner. Thirty minutes later he looked around satisfied and thought that a refreshing shower would be the best way to go. Leaving the bedroom, he made his way to the bathroom and turning on the water, he stepped in. After spending a couple of minutes just enjoying the cold spray he turned to washing himself and ten minutes later stepped out wrapping a dark blue towel around his waist feeling human again after getting rid of the accumulated travel dirt. Entering the bedroom he noticed a tray on the desk, bearing a large Caesar salad and a glass of sparkling water on it. Deciding it must have been Josephine, he shrugged to himself and changing into a pair of black sleeping pants, sat to eat.

Three weeks later Draco Malfoy was bored. He was very bored, a fact which never bode well for anyone. After exploring the rest of the estate, studiously avoiding the stables, he had read a couple of books, chatted to Josephine and Pierre, swam in the pool, anything to keep him busy. But now he found himself without anything to do so he went for a walk as it as a perfect summer night outside. Guided only by the light of the stars and his own memory, he walked around the grounds. Coming around the villa he noticed a light under the door of the stables. Immediately ruling out Josephine or Pierre, as they had turned in for the night, he figured out there must be an intruder on the grounds and made his way stealthily towards the building and slid the door open a sliver to peer inside. A gas lamp was lit, hanging over the corridor between the stalls and for a moment he thought there was nobody as the only sounds he could hear where the snorts of the horses. But then, he heard footsteps in the tack room and sliding the door open he entered it, sneaking towards it so as not to alert the intruder to the incoming company. He barely had time to dive behind a stack of hay ballots before the door opened and a person came into the stable. He cursed the badly lit room as he could not make out who it was, only that they had a slight figure. The person started walking and just as they came close enough, Draco sprang from his hiding spot, and using his superior stature tackled the figure. Unfortunately he had miscalculated the distance and both of them tumbled to the floor, landing in a painful heap. Regaining his senses he straddled the person pinning them to the floor thinking his earlier intruder suspicions were true. Looking down he suddenly felt like drowning...drowning in a sea of green.

AN: Figured I'd post the second chapter as well as an extra incentive :) Hope you liked it!


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3 – A tumble with the spitfire

Disclaimer: Anything you recognize belongs to J. , no copyright infringement intended. Anything you don't is mine.

_Previously: ...Regaining his senses he straddled the person pinning them to the floor thinking his earlier intruder suspicions were true. Looking down he suddenly felt like drowning...drowning in a sea of green._

For a moment he could not even breath . Slowly, as his wits returned to him, he heard the woman, he could acutely feel she was a woman, groan in pain and realized he was crushing her. Frantically he rolled off of her and lay on his back trying to regain his breath. Turning his head to the side he noticed the stranger doing the same, as she had closed those mesmerizing eyes and seemed to be mumbling something under her breath. Rolling on his side he tried to look imposing. "Who are you?" he snapped, feeling his breath catch and his imposing mask almost slip as those eyes opened and looked at him, twin pools of green flashing with a myriad of emotions he could not identify, before hardening into a blank mask. "I work here master Malfoy" she answered in a musical voice. Somehow the title reserved for him by the servants felt wrong on her lips. "Would you please explain why you go around, tackling people to the floor?" Not the question itself surprised him but more the tone of her musical voice as she addressed him. He was used to being treated with fondness, respect or even humility from the servants his family employed. Never before had one of them challenged him.

Unsure of how to react, he snapped at her, "I do not have to explain myself to servants". Standing, he brushed the dust and hay off his clothes and when he turned to offer the servant a hand, he found her already on her feet and moving back to the tack room. Curiosity took over, and he followed her, stopping in the doorway and looking around. The tack room looked exactly as he remembered shiny leather saddles all polished stacked onto their stands, bridles and reigns hanging from hooks on one wall and the metal cupboards lining another were still there, housing brushes, crèmes, food and other such equipment that one would expect to find in a stable.

What he did not expect was the small cot in the corner, the woman's obviously, though how she could sleep in that was beyond him, he thought in disgust. A small suitcase was used as a side table, an old chair had all sorts of clothing over it and a bigger gas lamp hung from the ceiling right above the cot. After finishing his perusal of the room, he turned to look at its inhabitant finally being able to properly see her. Upon setting eyes on her he felt his breath catch in his throat. She was beautiful. Long wavy raven black hair tumbled down her back in a messy pony tail, enhancing her already enchanting green eyes. High cheekbones and perfectly arched eyebrows set into an oval face, a pair of cupid bow lips set into a natural pout and a straight aristocratic nose and long black lashes, which fanned across smooth tanned skin, made up her features. Her figure was slim but toned. She was wearing dark riding pants, a white tank top and her calves were encased in dark riding boots. He watched as she puttered around, straightening a saddle here, a pair of reigns there, not seeming to notice his presence. If it was not for all his Malfoy training, he would have jumped when suddenly, she turned around glaring at him and snapped "Had enough? You could take a picture you know? It sure as hell lasts longer, besides, your staring creeps me out so what is it?" Crossing his arms across his chest he sneered down at her "yes I had enough thank you for asking. Now tell me who are you and why have I not seen you before around the villa?" Putting her hands on her hips, she kept his gaze, not intimidated at all. "My name is Valeria. Valeria Potter, and the reason you have not seen me before because I only come to the villa if Josephine needs my help. I am not a servant" she snapped back at him. "Now please leave I wish to go to bed" she waved in the direction of the door imperiously.

Staring at her, stunned that a servant would address him in this manner, he did not even protest when she all but pushed him out of the stables and slammed the door shut behind him. Shaking his head in amazement he followed the gravel pathway back to the villa, resolved to question Josephine in the morning about Valeria, what she was doing here and why he had not been told about her, or seen her for that matter, before.

The next morning Draco woke up, after a restless night of dreams plagued by green eyes, and after finishing his morning ablutions, he went into the kitchen set on questioning the housekeeper about the mysterious employee. Entering the kitchen, he savored the smell of freshly made cupcakes and sat down at the kitchen table where a plate waited for him. "Bonjour Josephine" he greeted the housekeeper with a smile.

"How are you today?"

"Just fine young master Malfoy" she answered. "And how are you? Slept well I hope?"

"It was adequate thank you." he commented digging into his breakfast. "I met somebody last night" he said lightly cutting his cupcake. "A certain Valeria, who sleeps in the stables apparently? Would you know anything about her?" Draco asked turning to look at the gentle woman who had as good as raised him. She turned around looking at him seriously "Yes I do know her and I would ask you to not terrorize her while she is with us." "Yes yes of course, but why is she here? And what does she work as?" Josephine looked at him with a teasing glint in her eye "She is a horse trainer, and she is here because master Malfoy asked me to hire the best rider in the region to train a new horse." Freezing up at the mention of horses Draco nodded stiffly before returning to his breakfast.

A few hours later he had managed to put her out of his mind and deciding to go swim a couple of laps, he made his way towards the pool. Looking up, he froze. There she was again, her wild main tied on top of her head in a loose bun, dressed in an emerald green two piece swimsuit, working on cleaning the stray leaves that had fallen into the otherwise spotless pool. He tried to look away but he could see droplets of sweat sliding down her face and on her chest which instantly attracted his attention. He kept observing her, because a Malfoy never gawks, until he heard her clear her throat and instantly snapped his eyes to hers almost blushing as he saw the teasing glint in her eyes. Regaining his composure, he started making his way to her by the side of the pool.

"Who are you?"

"I told you, Valeria Potter"

"Madame Josephine told me you are a horse trainer."

"And?" she looked up at him challengingly, waiting for obvious critique about her chosen profession.

"Just asking" he shrugged. _What is it with this girl? _he asked himself. _She is always on the defensive, even though she doesn't know me._ For the first time in a very long time Draco Malfoy actually cared, for God knows what reason, what this tiny slip of a girl thought of him. He felt her stare on the side of his face, and turning looked at her questioningly. "You don't remember me, do you?" she asked him.

A/N Aaaan here is chapter three for all my lovely readers. Id love to hear what you think so please review! Cheers and have a great night!


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